The Five Scarves - Scarves Assemble Part 3
by RaceProUK
Summary: (Book 1 of 3, Part 3 of 5) Maria Shanmao has been given a new lease of life, but she's finding integrating with the Red Scarves a much bigger challenge than she first thought. As the one who brought her into the Scarves, Leader Aziza Kyokan feels she must do something, so she and Leader Lillith Song enlist the help of the most unlikely tutor: Hanna Skarlett.
1. Chapter 1

[5 years before the Brevon Incident]

"Eleven weeks in, and she's on course to fail basic training. And not by a small margin. Not to mention she's so timid and withdrawn. She's not managed to make even a single friend yet."

"I know. I had hoped for better results."

"It's not your fault. I'd have made the same decision you did."

"And the last thing I want to do is turn her away."

"But what else can we do? If she fails basic, what place does she have here?"

"We'll have to find _some_ sort of place for her. There's no way we can let her go back to her old life."

With a weary sigh, the civet leans back on the sofa. "Come on Aziza, I know you're holding something back from me."

"I'm sorry Lillith, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"We promised Maria we wouldn't tell anyone what happened to her," Aziza reveals.

"We?"

"Me, Lexi, and Hanna Skarlett."

"Wait… did you say Hanna Skarlett?"

"Would you believe it was her idea to save Maria? Not that she'd ever admit it."

"I'll admit, it's a fantastic story."

"Well, it's true: under that vicious and fiery exterior beats a surprisingly caring heart."

"Then I have to admire how she hides it so well," Lillith chuckles. "Hmm…" she adds a moment later.

"Hm?"

"I have an idea."

Aziza makes to ask what Lillith's idea is, pausing as a thought strikes her. "If we're both thinking the same thing…"

"I'll admit it's a bit mean, but if it gets results-"

"-it'll be worth it," Aziza agrees. "Do it."

* * *

An hour later, Hanna Skarlett arrives at the entrance to Lillith's sanctum. Just as she's about to knock, she hears voices within.

"Looks like we have no choice," one voice sighs.

"Agreed. If Maria doesn't shape up quick, she's out," the second decides.

"I hate to say it, but you're right," the first agrees. "There's nothing else we can do."

Hanna has heard enough: boiling with anger, she kicks the door open. " _How can you even_ think _about kicking Maria out?_ " she yells at the two leaders. " _Especially you!_ " she directs at Aziza.

"Thank you for volunteering to be Maria's mentor," Aziza smiles.

"You have seven days to help her pass basic," Lillith adds, also smiling. "Succeed, and I'll forget you just kicked my door down."

Hanna blinks in surprise. "…I walked right into that one, didn't I?" she sighs in resignation.

"Just a bit," Aziza agrees.

"Fine, I'll do it," Hanna grumbles. "Of course, you could have just _asked_ …" she growls as she leaves the room.

Lillith and Aziza wait until they're sure Hanna is out of earshot. "Told you she has a heart," Aziza smirks.

"It was worth having my door broken to see that," Lillith agrees.


	2. Chapter 2

[Day 1]

In a small yet well-stocked training room in the dojo, Hanna and her two friends Rob and Danny await the arrival of Maria.

"Why are we here again?" Danny asks.

"Because you're my friends, and friends help each other," Hanna explains.

"You got yourself into trouble again, didn't you?" Rob teases.

"Not this time," Hanna lies. "…well, OK, maybe a bit," she admits a moment later.

"Knew it," Rob grins.

"Silence," Hanna commands. "She'll be here any moment."

As if on cue, Maria nervously enters the room. "Hi," she greets timidly, halting just inside the door.

Hanna turns in response to Maria's voice. "Ah, there you are," she smiles. "Come in, let's have a chat. And don't worry about these two numbskulls behind me: they're just my friends."

Maria, still uneasy, enters the room properly and joins Hanna on the bench. "You uh… wanted to see me?"

"I heard on the grapevine you're struggling with the training?" Hanna explains.

"Yeah…" Maria sighs.

"Thought so," Hanna acknowledges. "That's why I decided to help you out."

"Really?" Rob teases. "Because I heard you got tricked into this after kicking Leader Song's door down."

"Oh, so _that's_ what Lexi was on about?" Danny asks.

" _Anyway_ ," Hanna hisses before turning her attention back to Maria. "Tricked or not, I want to help you. And the first thing is getting you out of those dreadful clothes and into something a bit more fitting."

Maria looks down at her baggy shirt and trousers. "But I've always worn this sort of thing…"

"And you're not happy about it," Hanna ventures.

"What else would I wear?" Maria asks.

"Boys, model for us," Hanna commands.

With a mutual shrug, Rob and Danny stand and pose in front of the girls, doing their best to make their vest and trousers combos look good. However, their efforts fall short.

"Hmm," Hanna muses. "Y'know, I don't think that look would work for Maria. It barely works on you two."

"Works well enough for us," Danny counters.

"Plus, you have no idea how to pose," Hanna continues, ignoring Danny's objection. "You have no… _presence_."

"And you can do better?" Rob asks.

"As a matter of fact, yes I can," Hanna declares confidently. She stands and pushes herself between the boys, then strikes a pose that is simultaneously cute, confident, and aggressive.

"That does look good," Maria agrees, "but…"

"There's no doubt my halterneck and capris combo is much better than the boring vest and trousers these two idiots wear," Hanna states as fact. "Nothing says 'cute and dangerous' better than this. Unless you prefer something else?"

"There is… no, it's silly," Maria mumbles.

Hanna sits back down on the bench. "So there _is_ something you prefer?"

"Well…" Maria hesitates.

"Just spit it out already," Hanna sighs.

"OK, OK!" Maria agrees, a little intimidated. "You don't need to be such a big meanie!"

"Sorry," Hanna replies calmly. "In your own time."

"I used to have this dress," Maria reveals. "It wasn't anything fancy, but… it was the only thing I enjoyed wearing… and I guess it's silly of me, but-"

"That settles it then," Hanna decides. "We're going dress shopping."

Maria blinks in surprise. "Really?" she choruses with Rob and Danny.

"Yes," Hanna replies sternly to the boys. "Just because I don't wear them, doesn't mean I don't know a skater from an A-line."

"You sure it's not silly?" Maria asks, a hint of excitement creeping into her voice.

"Oh, it's definitely silly," Hanna teases. "Not to mention impractical. But _anything's_ better than what you're wearing now."


	3. Chapter 3

[Day 2]

The next day, Hanna and Maria meet again in the same training room as before, though this time, Maria is wearing one of her new dresses, a simple and cute teal full-back skater. And even though she's not keen on the black gym shorts Hanna insisted she also wear, the new outfit is already helping her confidence levels. While she's still outwardly timid, it's clear she's far more comfortable with how she looks.

"I take back what I said yesterday about wearing a dress," Hanna remarks as Maria enters the room. "It's not even slightly silly. In fact, it really suits you."

"Thanks, but I don't like the shorts," Maria replies. "They just don't feel right."

"Trust me, you'll be thankful for them," Hanna assures.

"I guess," Maria sighs. "I've seen the flips and stuff some people do when fighting."

"We'll get to that," Hanna promises. "But first, we need to build your confidence. The new wardrobe is just the first step. Next, body language."

"Body what?"

"How to look confident, even if you aren't," Hanna explains. "It's actually pretty easy: watch."

As Maria takes a seat on the bench, Hanna walks to one end of the room, then walks to the other end, her head held high, striding with purpose, oozing confidence. "Just like that," she winks to Maria. "Your turn."

Reluctantly, Maria stands and shuffles to the end of the room, then repeats Hanna's walk across.

"Head up!" Hanna instructs. "Shoulders back! Don't slouch! Step like you mean it!"

"I'm trying!" Maria replies, a little frustrated. "It's hard!"

"Then we'll keep going until you get it right!"

* * *

A few hours later, and while Maria has shown considerable improvement, it's not yet enough for Hanna.

"Can we take a break?" Maria asks as she completes another crossing, leaning on the wall beside Hanna. "My feet are aching, and I'm hungry."

"I'm not," Hanna replies. "So we carry on."

Reluctantly, Maria completes yet another crossing. " _Now_ can we take a break?" she asks again from the other end of the room.

"Not yet," Hanna answers. "Again."

But Maria's patience has run out: she stalks across the room right up to Hanna. "I have had enough of you being so mean!" she barks at the vixen. "I'm hungry, and I want lunch now!" Maria then clamps her hands over her mouth, shocked at her own behaviour. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"That's more like it!" Hanna smiles. "I dare say you've got the hang of it now."

"…what?" Maria asks, dropping her hands.

"The way you walked right up to me and stood up for yourself," Hanna explains. " _That's_ what I wanted to see."

"You're not angry?"

"Why would I be?"

"Because I was naughty."

"Standing up for yourself isn't naughty," Hanna explains. "Quite the opposite. You should do it more often."

"Oh." Maria pauses a moment. "Now can we _please_ go for lunch? I'm hungry."

"Sure," Hanna agrees. "Lead the way."

"L-Lead?" Maria asks, suddenly nervous again.

"Or we can stay here and practice more."

"Nuh-uh," Maria decides, shaking her head. "I'm a hungry kitty, and I'm going for lunch, whether you like it or not."

Maria strides out of the room before Hanna can respond. A moment later, a satisfied Hanna follows. _This is working better than I'd hoped!_


	4. Chapter 4

[Day 3]

On the third day, Maria arrives at the assigned training room to find Hanna laying on the bench, her eyes closed, seemingly asleep. At first, Maria is unsure what's going on, but it only takes a moment before she decides to disturb the snoozing vixen. Slowly, Maria approaches Hanna, and when within reach, she gingerly taps the vixen's shoulder.

Hanna doesn't respond.

Maria hesitates a moment, then places a hand on Hanna's shoulder and pushes gently. Hanna murmurs softly and incoherently, but doesn't move. Maria tries again, a little harder. Hanna murmurs once more, rolls onto her side with her back to Maria, then settles into snoozing again.

 _Is she really asleep, or is she toying with me?_ Maria considers her options briefly. She then pulls on Hanna's shoulder, aiming to roll the vixen onto her back again. But Maria has overestimated the width of the bench. As Hanna is rolled onto her back, her centre of gravity passes the edge of the bench, and she falls to the floor with a yelp and a thud.

"That wasn't the wake-up call I had in mind," Hanna sighs.

"I'm so sorry!" Maria apologies. "Are you hurt?"

"My ego's a bit battered, but other than that, I'm OK," Hanna assures as she gets up and sits on the bench.

"I should have been more careful," Maria replies.

"Nonsense," Hanna waves away. "You actually passed today's first lesson. It kinda backfired on me, but whatever."

"You mean… you were _faking_ being asleep?"

"It forced you to take a risk, which is what today is all about."

"You could have been hurt!"

"By falling off a bench? Hardly. I'd have to be _extremely_ unlucky to get hurt from that."

"But why take the risk?"

"Because taking risks is a part of life."

"Sounds nasty. I don't like taking risks."

"By the end of today, you'll be singing a different tune," Hanna promises, the wicked glint in her eyes making Maria nervous.

* * *

"I'm not sure about this," Maria whispers.

"That's good," Hanna whispers back. "It'll keep you alert. And remember, the whole day has been building to this."

"But I don't want to steal from her."

"We'll return it, don't worry." _Or we won't return it. Haven't decided yet._

"OK…"

Maria inches her way below the window. After using a pocket mirror to check the coast is clear, she pulls herself onto the sill, then enters Leader Aziza Kyokan's quarters. For a tense few minutes, Hanna has no choice but to wait.

Eventually, Maria reappears. "Got it!" she whispers excitedly.

Suddenly, the door opens: both Hanna and Maria turn their ears to the unexpected sound. "What on Avalice?" is all they hear Aziza say before they hear determined footsteps and the door closing firmly.

"Time to run!" Hanna quietly urges.

With haste, the two thieves descend down to ground level, then dart for the nearest cover.

"That was…" Maria gasps, a little out of breath.

"That was what?" Hanna prompts.

Maria meets Hanna's gaze. "Amazing!" she grins. "Also scary. But also amazing!"

"Good to hear," Hanna smiles back. "Now, get outta here! And remember, same time tomorrow."

With a nod and a grin, Maria checks the coast is clear, then darts out of cover and sprints away, successfully making her escape. A few moments later, Hanna is about to follow, but a hand on her shoulder stops her.

"You're meant to be getting her through basic, not teaching her bad habits," Aziza calmly scolds.

Hanna curses at herself. "So, how much trouble am I in?"

"I think _I'll_ set the lesson plan tomorrow," Aziza decides.

"I'm not going to like it, am I?" Hanna sighs.

"I guarantee it," Aziza promises. "You're not claustrophobic, are you?"

"No."

"Good."

"Wait, how did you know it was us?"

"Lexi saw you climbing up the building."

Hanna curses again.


	5. Chapter 5

[Day 4]

Hanna listens as Aziza's footsteps fade away. When she can hear them no more, she checks the faint glow of her watch. _Thirty seconds, and I already hate this… and it's meant to take six_ hours _to get me out again…_

* * *

A few minutes later, at the normal time, Maria arrives in the room. She is surprised at the presence of a strange oversized chest in the centre, and the apparent absence of her vulpine mentor. Curious, Maria cautiously approaches the chest. "Hanna?" she calls as she approaches. "What's this for?"

"Maria?" Hanna responds, her voice dulled by the wood of the chest. "I uh… might need a little help."

"Who locked you in there?" Maria asks, clearly worried.

"Aziza caught me yesterday," Hanna explains. "She decided to set today's lesson plan."

"That's so mean of her!" Maria exclaims. "I'll get you out!" she adds. "Don't know how long it'll take, but I'll work as quick as I can."

"Six hours," Hanna sighs. "That's how long it'll take. At least I have food and water, and a big cushion to sit on. And if I'm honest, it's not my first time in solitary. At least this time I have someone to talk to."

"You do like getting into trouble," Maria observes as she begins to work out how to free her mentor.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Hanna asks, her impatience manifesting as brutal sarcasm.

"I could always leave you in there," Maria states sternly, knowing Hanna can't see her cheeky smile.

 _She's getting bolder: that's… good actually._ "Just… get me out of here, OK?"

* * *

Three hours later, and Maria is an hour ahead of schedule. But solving the puzzles needed to open the combination locks and searching the room for the required keys is starting to take its toll. With a yawn, she slumps on top of the crate and curls up to snooze a little.

"Hey!" Hanna cries from inside the crate. "No sleeping on the job!"

"You go meet Uncle Bob," Maria mumbles.

"What are you talking about?" Hanna asks, but there's no answer except a soft purring. _Great, she's asleep. And I have no idea for how long- oh. I see it now. I see what your plan is Aziza. Force me to be patient. Well played._ Hanna checks her watch. _Three more hours I'm meant to be stuck in here… guess I'll have a nap too._

* * *

Two hours later, and a refreshed Maria has solved almost all of the puzzles and removed almost all of the locks.

"Just one more lock to go!" Maria announces triumphantly as she discards yet another defeated lock.

Hanna checks her watch. "And an hour sooner than Aziza intended. Nice work!" she compliments. "What's the last lock?"

Maria quickly analyses the final lock. "It needs a key."

"What's the clue?"

Maria reads the note tacked to the lock. "It says 'You've had this key all along'. But I don't have any more keys."

" _What?_ "

"Looks like you're stuck."

" _No!_ " Hanna yells. Cursing extensively and colourfully, she begins to pound on the sides of the crate. " _I want out I want out I want out I want out I WANT OUT!_ "

Maria backs away from the crate as it begins to shuffle across the floor, electing to keep a safe distance for the next few minutes as Hanna unleashes her frustrations on the unyielding wood. Eventually, Hanna tires. Her yelling and pounding cease, leaving only the sound of panting as she tries to recover her breath.

"That was scary," Maria breathes, approaching the now still crate.

"Sorry," Hanna pants. "I kinda… freaked out a bit… I'm OK now."

"I'll try and think of something," Maria assures. "I just don't want you to be mean to me if I can't."

"It's not your fault," Hanna sighs. "If I didn't trick you… into stealing that thing yesterday… I wouldn't be in this mess."

"Yeah," Maria sighs. "But then as you admitted earlier- Oh!"

"What?"

"I'll be right back! Don't go anywhere!"

"Funny," Hanna snorts sarcastically. But it's too late: Maria has already sprinted out of the room.

* * *

Ten minutes later, the lid of the crate opens. Blinking hard in the harsh light, Hanna stiffly climbs out of the crate. "Free at last!" she cries in joy. "What on Avalice did you run off for anyway?" she asks Maria.

"To return what is rightfully mine," Aziza explains.

The voice takes Hanna by surprise. As she turns, she stumbles, trips, and falls back into the crate, knocking the lid closed as she does so, the lid slamming painfully across her shins. "Ow."

Maria tries to control herself, but she simply can't. Unable to resist, she does something she has never done before in her life: she laughs.


	6. Chapter 6

[Day 5]

At the scheduled time, Maria pokes her head through the training room door to see Hanna unleashing a ferocious torrent of physical abuse on a punching bag. "Hi," she greets. "Are we a happy meanie today?"

Hanna simply grunts in response.

"Aw, don't be a grumpy fox," Maria continues, entering the room and approaching Hanna. "You have to admit your pratfall into the crate yesterday was funny."

"It's not that I'm annoyed about," Hanna mumbles.

"Then what are you annoyed about?"

Hanna unleashes one last vicious roundhouse kick on the punching bag, splitting it down its length. "I hate how people can sneak up on me so easily," she explains as the bag drains.

"But your ears are _huge!_ " Maria giggles.

Hanna puffs her tail a little. "That's rich, coming from Miss Fluffy Radar Dishes."

"Well, if you're going to be mean about my ears, then I won't help you," Maria huffs theatrically.

"I don't need any help," Hanna denies. "Besides, it's meant to be me helping you not get kicked out of here in two days."

"Leader Aziza told me a bit about you yesterday," Maria continues, unperturbed. "She told me how you pretend to be this tough girl, when really, you're a lot more like me than you'll ever admit. Which is why we get along so easily, apparently."

Hanna blinks in surprise. "Well, there goes my carefully crafted rep…"

"I'll keep it secret," Maria promises. "After all, you're keeping one of… one of mine…" Maria takes a moment to compose herself. "Sorry, I'm OK now."

"Why did she tell you all this?" Hanna demands.

"Actually, I guessed some of it," Maria explains.

"So you're a smart-arse then," Hanna concludes. "I'm already friends with two smart-arses. I don't need a third."

"You don't listen, do you?" Maria asks suddenly.

"I do listen, actually. I just ignore."

"No, I don't mean 'listen', I mean 'listen'." Maria pauses to organise her thoughts. "Have you even just listened to your surroundings? To all the little noises that surround us all?"

"What are you blabbering on about?"

"Just close your eyes and listen to what's around you."

With a sigh of exasperation, Hanna complies. "This is stupid."

"Shush and listen."

For the next five minutes, Hanna and Maria listen to their surroundings.

"All I hear is noise," Hanna sighs eventually. "Like I said, it's stupid."

"In the last five minutes, seven people walked past the door to this room," Maria reveals. "Two of them stopped at the door briefly, then continued. One other stopped then went back the way they came. The other four simply walked past. And of those seven people, five were wearing boots like the ones you wear, and the other two were wearing running shoes like I do."

"You're making that up," Hanna dismisses.

"Open the door, and you'll find someone has dropped a key," Maria informs.

"There won't be anything there," Hanna states as she heads to the door. "See? There's no key on the-" she continues as she opens the door, stopping short in surprise. "…there's a key on the floor," she adds as she picks up the key in disbelief. "I have to admit, I'm impressed."

"Thanks!" Maria grins, blushing a little. "By the way, I think the owner's coming back for it," she adds a moment later.

Hanna looks down the corridor. "I think I can hear them running…"

Seconds later, a young fennec sprints around the corner and slides to a halt beside Hanna. "You found my key!"

"It appears so," Hanna replies, handing the key to the fennec.

"Thanks!" the fennec smiles as he takes the key and pockets it.

Hanna watches the fennec sprint back down the corridor and around the corner. Once he's out of sight, she returns to the training room and shuts the door. "Change of plan," she decides. "Today, you're teaching me how to listen. Just one question: how did you get so good?"

Maria takes a moment to gather herself before quietly explaining "I had no choice."


	7. Chapter 7

[Day 6]

Hanna arrives at the training room to find Maria already present and testing the balance of two shinai. "You're early," she greets.

"My graduation mission got brought forward to tonight," Maria offers as explanation. "The brief is on the bench."

Hanna picks up the brief and reads it. "Wow," she breathes. "This is a tough one."

"Yeah," Maria sighs. "I don't see how I'm going to pass…"

"You'll do fine," Hanna assures, returning the brief to the bench and taking one of the shinai. "Especially with some combat training from the best hand-to-hand fighter in the Red Scarves."

"Is someone joining us today then?"

"I was talking about me."

"Wow!" Maria breathes in awe. "I didn't know I was training with the best!"

"Well, it's not official," Hanna admits. "But one day it will be."

"Unless someone better comes along," Maria opines.

"Like that'll happen," Hanna dismisses. "They'd have to be a _dragon_ to be better than me. Anyway, let's get started."

Hanna and Maria line up and prepare for their first bout.

* * *

An hour later, and Maria, pinned in her eighth straight defeat in eight bouts, decides enough is enough. "It's no good," she sobs. "I just can't do it."

"Let's take a break," Hanna suggests, rolling to one side to lay alongside the frustrated lynx. "And don't be so hard on yourself," she assures. "Remember, I have a year's training over you, and I'm naturally brilliant at this stuff. So it's nothing to be ashamed of, losing to me. Everyone loses to me." _Usually._

"I guess," Maria sniffs. "It's just… I don't even land a single blow. How can I beat you if I can't even hit you?"

"It's only because you're sticking to training routines so rigidly," Hanna explains. "You need to mix things up a bit."

"But what if it doesn't work?"

"Then you try something else. And if that doesn't work, get creative. Eventually, you find something that works."

* * *

Over the next couple of hours, Maria slowly starts to hold her own. She's beginning to vary her attacks and strategies, and her true potential is beginning to shine through. But Hanna is still winning every bout, and it's only fuelling the lynx's frustrations.

* * *

After breaking for lunch, the girls line up for yet another bout.

"I hope I win this time," Maria sighs, lacking conviction.

"With that attitude, there's no point even fighting: I've won already," Hanna replies.

"But you're so much better than me…"

"No surprise there: I'm better than everyone. Still, you're definitely getting better."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Hanna smiles. "Now stop being silly and win one!"

Maria takes a deep breath and steels herself. "OK. I will win this. I will win this. I will win this."

Suddenly, Hanna charges, trailing her shinai. As she nears Maria, the vixen swings high and hard. Maria blocks the downswing, deflecting it off to one side. Hanna turns the block into a leg sweep, but Maria is ready for it. She leaps the sweep effortlessly, landing a few feet away from Hanna. Maria then charges, shinai raised in a thrust, but Hanna deflects the thrust easily. Maria deliberately overruns, putting ten feet between her and the vixen.

"Not bad," Hanna compliments. "Seems I have to up the ante."

Hanna charges low and hard, Maria charging in return. But as the combatants look set to strike shinai, Maria dives forwards, twists in the air, and lands on her back. Holding her shinai at both ends over her head, she slides under Hanna. Surprised, the vixen fails to leap the shinai. As Maria turns her slide into a roll, Hanna slams into the floor face-first. Before Hanna can recover, Maria pounces: sitting on the vixen's tail, the lynx secures her opponent in a firm double armlock. Hanna struggles briefly to break Maria's grip, but it's to no avail: the lynx's grip is too secure to break from without injury.

"I expected it to take longer than that," Hanna sighs. "Nicely done."

"Wait… I win?" Maria asks in disbelief.

"Yeah," Hanna confirms. "And you pinned my tail too: a lot of people miss that. Now, can you let go of my arms?"

"Not yet," Maria teases. "I want to savour this moment."

Hanna sighs in resignation. _At least she's lighter than Rob…_

* * *

Early evening, and Maria is preparing to depart on her mission. "I'm really nervous," she admits quietly.

"You'll pass," Hanna assures.

"But what if I don't?"

"Then I will personally ensure that a place is found for you here, even if it means defying all five Leaders. That is a promise, and I don't make promises lightly."


	8. Chapter 8

Hanna is up before dawn the next morning, having been unable to sleep more than an hour. By the time Aziza's summons arrives, Hanna has already had breakfast and cleaned and polished her nunchaku four times.

* * *

Hanna arrives outside Aziza's chambers, knocking after a brief hesitation.

"Enter," Aziza calls from within.

Hanna enters the chambers and takes the seat on the sofa Aziza is indicating. "You wanted to see me?"

"That is correct," Aziza confirms, taking a seat on the other sofa. "I want to discuss Maria Shanmao."

"How did her mission go?" Hanna asks calmly. _I've never felt this nervous before…_

"Well, I'm afraid there is bad news for you," Aziza informs flatly.

"You're not kicking Maria out of the Scarves," Hanna states defiantly.

"You know all too well that's the last thing I want to do," Aziza restates.

"Then why are you even considering it?" Hanna demands, standing up. "Do you have any idea what we rescued her from? _And you're going to let her go back to that?_ I thought you were better than that."

"Before you continue to slander me," Aziza cautions, "note that I said there is bad news for _you_. I know how much you value your reputation, but I fear it's going to take a bit of a beating once it becomes widespread knowledge that you're working with someone as adorable as the person Maria has become. All thanks to your mentoring too, so you only have yourself to blame."

Hanna makes to reply, but stops herself as Aziza's words sink in. "You mean… Maria _passed?_ " she asks, sitting back down.

"With flying colours," Aziza smiles. "She's got a bright future ahead of her."

"I uh… It appears I misjudged you."

"Apology accepted," Aziza smiles warmly. "Maria, you can come out now."

Hanna is knocked flat on the sofa by an excited olive furball. "I passed I passed I passed!" Maria chimes, hugging Hanna tightly. "And I couldn't have done it without you," she adds, tears of joy running down her cheeks and into Hanna's halterneck.

"Congratulations," Hanna returns. "I knew you could do it. Now, uh… can you let go? I would kinda like to use my arms again."

"Oh? Oh, sorry!" Maria giggles, releasing her grip. As soon as Hanna has freed her arms, Maria resumes her tight but friendly hug.

"That's not what… Whatever," Hanna sighs. She then turns to Aziza. "Ma'am, this is going to sound so weird coming from me, but… thank you for allowing me to help Maria."

"You're right, it does sound weird," Aziza replies. "And you're very welcome. You did a fantastic job, and you proved you're capable of so much more than just being a good fighter. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't."

"I think it's safe to say the debrief is over," Aziza informs. "Unless there's anything you want to add?"

"Well… there _is_ one thing."

"Which is?"

"Next time, just ask, OK?"

"OK," Aziza agrees. "It was Lillith's idea to trick you anyway."

"But you went along with it."

"True."

"I guess we'd better get going," Hanna decides. "Maria?"

Maria responds with a gentle purr: exhausted from her mission and the delight of graduating, she's fallen asleep.

"OK, so I'm _not_ going anywhere anytime soon," Hanna sighs. "Mind you, I'm rather tired myself," she adds, yawning deeply.

"If you want, you can nap here for a few hours," Aziza offers. But it's too late: Hanna has already slipped into a restful slumber.

Silently, Aziza drapes a blanket over the sleeping friends, then leaves them to snooze in private.


End file.
